Conditions Improve Slightly as Tour Heads to Iowa

The Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour wrapped up its third day yesterday, as scouts from both the eastern and western legs of the Tour made their way into Iowa.

Eastern Tour

"Severe drought stress really showed in a lack of ear, lack of grain length on those ears that are actually going to make grain," Grete says. "You add it all up and it comes up to a big yield reduction."

"Conditions did get a little better in the western half of the state," Grete says, but adds that there were still too many low-yielding fields to make a significant impact on overall yield estimates.

Grete added that his group also saw issues with standability, and saw more combines out in the fields because of it.

In soybeans, Grete says many plants were podless on the bottom half of the plant--yet another sign of the extreme drought.

Hear Grete's full report:

Western Tour

Pro Farmer editor Chip Flory said kernel size was a big issue in the southern part of Iowa, but that concern diminished as the scouts moved north.

"It felt like we were measuring more actual yields in the northern part of the state rather than yield potential," Flory says.

For soybeans, pod counts were down from a year ago, but still better than what scouts found in previous states such as South Dakota.

"The trick now is going to be getting enough water to fill out those beans," Flory says.

As the Tour moves into Minnesota, Flory says his group hasn't been seeing great yields, but he's heard some encouraging reports.

"I do know some of the other routes are finding some really good corn up here in Minnesota," Flory says.